Wishing For A Good Christmas
by Ghostwriter
Summary: Tommy has to face his past when he helps one of the kids at the youth center.
1. Deck The Halls With Who Cares?

WISHING FOR A GOOD CHRISTMAS

DISCLAIMERAUTHOR'S NOTE

A little heavier holiday fic. Not quite a sequel to "It's Christmas", though it **does** deal with Tommy's comment about past foster homes. Takes place in the Zeo season. Still slight AU in that Kimberly never broke up with Tommy. Everything belongs to Haim Saban and Fox Kids. And I think "Deck The Halls" is traditional.

CHAPTER ONE: DECK THE HALLS WITH...WHO CARES?

"Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la," a group of kids sang. "Tis the season to be jolly, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la," they continued. Kimberly Hart laughed as she saw the smiling faces. Katherine Hillard placed a hand on Tommy Oliver's arm.

"I just love the holidays. Don't you?" she queried.

"Yeah, I sure do," Tommy answered. "Of course, it's even better since Kim came home for the holidays," he continued. Katherine laughed. As the group continued to sing, Tommy looked around the youth center. Almost everyone of his friends was here: Ernie, Kat, Kim, Billy Cranston, Adam Park, Tanya Sloan, and Rocky DeSantos. Even Bulk and Skull were getting into the spirit. Suddenly, Tommy noticed that one of the older boys---fourteen-year old Michael Williams---was slouched against a wall, scowling. The Red Ranger walked up to him.

"Hey, what's up, buddy? Why aren't you singing?" he asked.

"Singing's for dorks!" Michael snapped. At this, everyone stopped and stared.

"What's the matter, Michael?" Katherine queried.

"Yeah, why aren't you celebrating?" added Kimberly.

"You got me be kidding. Holidays? Love, joy, peace, cheer, good-will. What a joke," Michael sneered. Then, he ran off.

"What's up with **him**?" Tanya wondered.

"I don't know," Adam responded.

"I think **I** do," Tommy told them. "I'll be right back, guys," he continued. Then, he headed off in the direction the boy had gone in.

"Michael, what's up?" he asked. The boy merely punched a locker. Tommy ran his fingers through his long hair.

"Okay, um, Michael---" he stopped, wondering how to pose his question.

"Look, I---I'm sorry, okay? I---I didn't mean---" the boy trailed off.

"You wanna talk about it?" Tommy offered.

"I hate holidays! It's just another reason to---"

"Get the heck beat out of you?" Tommy interrupted.

"N---what?" Michael asked. "What are you talking about?" he continued moodily.

"Who is it?" Tommy prodded. Michael ducked his head.

"He'll kill me," he muttered.

"Michael, I won't let anything happen to you," the Ranger promised.

"I just...I just want **one** good holiday," Michael said, looking back up.

"I know how you feel," Tommy said.

"The guy's all sorts of crazy," Michael worried.

"Just give me a name and I'll look the guy up," Tommy stated.

"Really?" Michael questioned.

"Yeah," Tommy promised. "Now, what's his name?" he asked.

"Andrew Garret ," Michael replied. Tommy's mouth dropped open.

"Wha---" he asked. He stared into space. _Garret? No!_ his mind screamed.

"Tommy?" Michael questioned. But Tommy didn't hear him. His mind was in the past.

_"Brat! You little good-for-nothing---"_

"Tommy!" Michael exclaimed, breaking into the older boy's reverie.

AUTHOR'S NOTE 2

Hey, I created my C2 community a couple of days ago, but it hasn't shown up. Could someone give me the steps so I could see if I did something wrong? Or am I just being impatient?


	2. I Thought It Was In The Past

DISCLAIMER

Still belongs to Haim Saban and Fox Kids. This was originally supposed to be a one shot, but the first part was getting too long.

"Tommy!" Michael repeated.

"Huh? What?" Tommy asked.

"You okay?" Michael questioned.

"Uh, yeah. Look, I'll, uh---I'll get right on that call," Tommy stammered. He ran back into the youth.

"Tommy?" Kimberly asked in surprise.

"Is he all right?" Katherine queried.

"He looks kinda sick," Rocky stated. Kimberly walked up to him.

"What is it? What's wrong?" she asked.

"Michael," Tommy answered hoarsely.

"What about him?" Kimberly wondered.

"He's got one of my old foster dads," Tommy whispered.

"Oh, no," Kimberly said softly.

"I---I---I thought it was in the past," Tommy murmured.

"Tommy," Kimberly said sympathetically. She pulled him close and he buried his head in her shoulder.


	3. Tommy Remembers And Then Makes A Call

DISCLAIMER

_Power Ranger_ regulars belong to Haim Saban and Fox Kids. I can only claim Andrew Garret.

As Kimberly held him, images from the past came rushing back.

_"Brat! You stupid little---" the voice trailed off and there was the sound of flesh striking flesh. Then, a boy cried out in pain._

_"Shut up! You're pathetic! You're good-for-nothing! No wonder nobody wants you!" the voice roared._ Tommy let out a groan.

"Tommy, you okay?" Kimberly asked, pulling back so that he had to look at her.

"There's uh---there's somethin' I gotta do, Beautiful," Tommy replied.

"Okay," Kimberly accepted. Tommy pulled away from her and walked over to the counter.

"Hey, Ernie. You mind if I use the phone for a sec? It's kind of important," he stated.

"Yeah, sure, Tommy," Ernie agreed. The man handed the boy the receiver and he started dialing a number. Then, after listening for a brief moment, "Yeah. I'd like to make a complaint about a man named Andrew Garret."


	4. Ranting And Raving

DISCLAIMER

Hmmm, let's see...if it was mine...Kim and Tommy would be together forever...none of the original Rangers would've left...and I wouldn't be ticked off at Haim Saban and Fox Kids who actually own all of these wonderful characters, Kat included.

In a rundown building in one of the poorer sides of Angel Grove, a man paced in his apartment angrily.

"OH! WHERE IS THAT LITTLE BRAT!?" he roared. "WHEN I GET A HOLD OF HIM....!" This man was the source of Michael's problems: Andrew Garret. "KIDS! THEY'RE MORE TROUBLE THAN THEY'RE WORTH I SHOULDA DUMPED THE BRAT WHEN I HAD A CHANCE! WHEN I GET A HOLD OF HIM..." Garret's eyes blazed with fury as he knocked a lamp to the floor. Then, he narrowed his eyes until they were merely slits. When that boy got home...he'd show him a thing or two. Boy, would he show him.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Okay, first off: sorry that this chapter is scarier than my usual chaps. I was just trying to establish the guy's character so you would know why Michael and Tommy fear this guy. 2nd: I promise I won't spend a long time with this fic: two more chapters and then it's done. That way I'll be able to concentrate on my next Ranger Team installment. Last, I'm taking my C2 Archive down on Sunday since it still hasn't shown up in the archives and I have no idea on how to get it there.


	5. Talking It Out

DISCLAIMER

Uh, no. Not mine. Except for Michael and Andrew Garret. Everyone else belongs to Haim Saban and Fox Kids. Oh, and I decided not to take down my C2 Community. I know it hasn't shown up in the archives, but if you go my handle Ghostwriter (I'm the one with 95 stories) and click on 'C2 Communities', you'll find a line that says "CraneFalcon Romance and Dragon and Tyrannosaurus Friendship". Click it and there's my archive. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but it's the only way I know of to share my community. It only has three stories in it so far. On that note, if you have a story that you're particularly proud of and it follows all the rules, tell me and I'll see if I like it. By the way, if you have a good KimTommy story that's set in with the timeline of _Wild Force_, _Lost Galaxy_, _Light Speed Rescue_, _Ninja Storm_, or _Time Force_, that's fine. They are welcome. I may not **write** stories that take place in those time periods, but it doesn't mean that I won't accept them.

Back at the youth center, Michael had walked back into the main room. Presently, Kimberly came up behind him.

"Hey. You okay?" she asked gently. The boy sighed and shrugged.

"I don't know," he responded.

"Well, I may not know what you're going through, but I am **definitely** here for you," she assured him. He smiled.

"Thanks, Kimberly," he said.

"No problem," she answered. Just then, Tommy came out.

"Tommy! Did you get through?" Michael asked.

"Yeah, I did," Tommy replied. "They're going over there," he continued.

"Will it be enough? I mean, it's just my word against his," Michael pointed out.

"No, not just your word. I have a story of my own to tell," Tommy replied.

"What?" Michael questioned.

"It's too late to get him for the stuff he did to me, but it helped establish probable cause," Tommy told him.

"You---you mean---Garret was---?" Michael's voice trailed off.

"Yeah. That's why I freaked," Tommy said.

"He's all sorts of crazy," Michael stated.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Tommy agreed. "The worst is when he---" he began to say.

"Gets all quiet and then starts in on you," Michael finished.

"Exactly," Tommy agreed. Then, "Come on. We've got a lot to talk about." With that, the two boys walked out to the halls.


	6. Confronting The Past

DISCLAIMER

Original characters don't belong to me. I only Andrew Garret and Michael Williams. Everything else belongs to Haim Saban and Fox Kids.

A squad car drove up to the dilapitated building.

"This is the place?" one asked.

"It's what the scanner came up with," his partner replied.

"Yeesh. This guy should be arrested on his house taste alone," the first officer stated. They walked up to the door and the first officer knocked. The door was opened to reveal Garret.

"Yeah. What do you want?" he sneered.

"Andrew Garret?" the second officer queried.

"Yeah, that's me," was the response.

"Will you come with us, please?" the second officer requested.

"What for?" the man asked defiantly.

"We got a complaint about you," was the answer.

"It's a lie," Garett insisted.

"Hands behind your back please," the first officer said. Garret refused, so the officer did it for him. Then, the man was read his rights. Back at the youth center, Michael was pacing nervously.

"What if it didn't work? What if they didn't believe you?" he asked.

"It'll be okay, Michael," Tommy assured. Just then, the door opened and an officer walked in.

"Tommy Oliver? Michael Williams?" he asked.

"That's us," Tommy confirmed.

"I think we have someone you both will want to see," the officer said. Tommy and Michael followed the officers, the Zeo Rangers at their heels. Once they were outside, Michael's eyes locked on the squad car, which held a man in the backseat. When the man saw his audience, he went ballistic.

"You little brat! You called the cops!" he shouted. Michael took a small step backwards.

"No. Actually, that was **me**," Tommy said, stepping forward. Garret's eyes widened.

"**You**?" he gasped.

"Yeah. **Me**," the Red Zeo Ranger confirmed. Then, as the officers walked to the car, "Look at him, Michael. Look at him and remember this."

THE END

AUTHOR'S NOTE

If you or someone you know is being physically abused, call 1-800-4-A-CHILD (2-24453).


End file.
